Singer Chinmayi Sripada writes of sexual abuse she has faced since childhood

As India finds itself to be in the middle of the #MeToo moment with women from the world of cinema, comedy and media houses opening up against sexual harassment and inappropriate behaviour in their workplaces and homes, singer Chinmayi Sripaada told about the abuse she had to face.She wrote, “It is very, very tough for women to remember accounts of when they were touched inappropriately; a ‘harmless’ hug that looks OK but makes them alone cringe.”

The singer even explained that women tend to internalise such behavior. She wrote, “I was perhaps 19; again, veryyyyyy respected, wayy older man called me to his office on a pretext, my mom was with me, I was called in alone; we suspected nothing coz said man showed no such behaviour before,walked from behind his table, hugged me and felt me up.” She also added, “Mom and I drove home. ‘RespectedMan’ never repeated his behaviour but I’ll never forget feeling as if worms were crawling all over me; how I, a sane, ‘intelligent’ girl had dismissed that predatory behaviour for ‘Thats how it is’. We internalize. But we cant forget.”Multiple cases across Bollywood are coming up where victims are speaking up about the trauma that has been inflicted upon them. Sadly, this is just one of those hundreds or thousands.